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Books in our libraries can be located in our library catalog (CAMEO)

Few of us are experts on any given topic. As a general rule, looking for background information on your topic help provide context and facilitates the process of research. Finding background information can be tricky but here are some things to consider:

A couple of great places to start are the CQ Press Electronic Library: It contains the CQ Resarcher Archive, a database that allows you to get an over view of various topics, along with the pros and cons, and to track changes in government policy, attitude, and even public opinion. Browse by topic or check out issues that were "hot" in a particular year.

Additional background resources:

Look for relevant Dictionaries, Handbooks, Encyclpedias, Anthologies, Collected Works, or History and Criticism. The best way to do this is to use the Advanced Search feature of our library catalog (CAMEO) and combine one of these types as a search with keywords like identity (as a subject) and handbook (as subject), for example.

Keep in mind that many such works are indexed in online collections or "reference works" and are often available in full-text. Reference works are a great way to get ideas for a topic. Here are the most relevant Online Refernce Sources:

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WorldCat provides a quick and easy way to find books and
other physical items when you are looking for information on a specific
subject. This is a great way to explore the general availability of
books on your topic. If you have checked the Library Catalog for a
particular book or item and the library does not have it in the
collection, search for it here and place an Interlibrary Loan request.